Embark on an extraordinary maritime journey that blurs the lines between ancient legend and archaeological reality. Join historian Dan Snow in this special 2-part series as he retraces the route of the greatest adventure ever told, sailing the beautiful Ionian Sea in the wake of Odysseus’s immense journey home from the Trojan War.

More than a simple retelling, this gripping two-part series serves as an investigative deep dive into the bedrock of Ancient Greek culture. As Dan navigates from the ruins of Troy to the rugged, imposing walls of Mycenae – the “city rich in gold” – he uncovers the historical echoes behind Homer’s verses. This is not merely a travelogue; it is a meticulously researched exploration of the rituals, societal norms, and spiritual beliefs that defined the classical world.

Melikertis at dusk – the boat that stands in on camera for the ship of Odysseus.

Image Credit: History Hit

Throughout the voyage, Dan is joined by a chorus of world-leading classicists and archaeologists who bring antiquity to life. Experience the nuance of the epic with celebrated translator Emily Wilson; witness the power of ancient oratory as Steve Kershaw recites Homeric Greek in a modern town square; explore the sacred, complex duties of Xenia with Emily Hauser; decode the tense interplay of gods and mortals with Tulsi Parikh; and delve into the might of Mycenaean civilization with Tristan Hughes. 

As the narrative unfolds upon the water, the series captures the haunting beauty of the Ionian Sea, visiting locations that inspired myths of Cyclopean caves, siren songs, and enchanted isles. The journey culminates in Ithaca, where Dan probes the ancient ruins – rumoured to be the very palace where Odysseus orchestrated his final, bloody reclamation of his home.

Join us for a fascinating synthesis of history, mythology, and exploration. Discover the true story of the “complicated” and “much turned about” hero whose voyage shaped Western literature and continues to captivate the modern imagination.

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The Odyssey – Part 1: The Voyage from Troy

We travel from Troy to the Ionian Sea as Dan takes to the water to explore the tortuous beginnings of the journey home, from far off Illium, via Circe’s enchanted island to the Underworld itself…

The Odyssey – Part 2: Return from Ithaca

Dan sails all the way home to Ithaca! Along the way he encounters storms, whirlpools, sirens and the wrath of the gods…

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History Hit is full of Odyssey and Trojan War content.  You can watch our special bonus film where Dan discusses the Odyssey with celebrated classicist, Prof. Mary Beard. On Dan Snow’s History Hit podcast he goes deep into the story, and on the Ancients podcast Tristan Hughes speaks to key Greece experts about the history around the myths.

“Oarsmen to your benches!” Climb aboard with Odysseus and History Hit to enjoy a cornucopia of fascinating insights into this epic story.

If you are the production team at History Hit, the answer involves two charter yachts, a waterproof GoPro, some incredibly cooperative wild pigs, and a highly optimistic shooting schedule.

In this exclusive behind-the-lens diary filming The Odyssey: Exploring the Greatest Voyage Ever Told, Bill Locke – Executive Producer and Head of Programming at History Hit – takes us on board the monohull Melikertis as the crew sails the stunning Ionian Sea. From exploring the ancient, wind-swept ruins of Ithaca to lashing presenter Dan Snow to a mast (and gently teasing him for packing thermals meant for upstate New York), Bill reveals what it really takes to bring the world’s greatest adventure story to life.

Pack your gear, watch out for wild boars, and step aboard…

Saturday 18 April

The History Hit team arrives at the harbour in Lefkas bright and early, ready to meet Sunsail’s Claire and the local team. Our goal is to make a fascinating series exploring the fact and fiction of the Odyssey – but to make that a reality we need a top team to help us with the crucial sailing element of the story.

Everyone seems super relaxed as we meet our two skippers, Tom and Sitha, for our briefing.  Ahead lies an exciting and very packed itinerary as we try to cram Odysseus’s 10 year voyage into just 4 days sailing around the Ionian islands. We’re making a 90 minute Odyssey special for Channel 5 and also a two-part deep dive for our own History Hit channel – plus podcasts and a host of social media. 

There’s a lot to do as we’ll try to capture everything from a sorceress’s island to Calypso’s cave, and are hoping for a combination of calm conditions and occasional stronger winds to reflect the twists and turns of Homer’s Odyssey…

Dan admiring the Greek islands featured in The Odyssey

The team divides into two – Giles our assistant producer has the expansive luxury of the catamaran Second Wind, skippered by Sitha, whilst our presenter Dan Snow, director Mark Edger, me and skipper Tom are in the cosier setting of the mono hull Melikertis (Tom confirms that no-one knows what that name means). 

The plan is that Melikertis stands in on camera for the ship of Odysseus, and Second Wind is the stable filming platform when we shoot boat-to-boat and also provides extra space to spread out our equipment.  Claire has planned everything to perfection – the boat combination works very smoothly from the start.

Left: Director Mark Edger – dedication to the shot! Right: Dan and Mark Edger aboard Melikertis – the boat that stands in on camera for the ship of Odysseus.

The whole trip is a dream come true for Dan – he’s sailed all his life and has wanted to cover the Odyssey for years. However, he has un-characteristically overpacked, bringing lots of warm clothes as he has mistakenly been looking at the chilly forecast for the American town of Ithaca in upstate New York!

As we leave the marina it’s soon clear that Tom is the perfect skipper for this job – calm at all times and a great talker, full of local knowledge. Departing Lefkas canal he’s happy to let Dan take the wheel as we get set for the open sea. 

Dan giving Skipper Tom a hand

Image Credit: History Hit

As is so often the case with filming, we’re shooting events out of order – Claire’s wise advice was to head all the way south first, reaching Odysseus’s home island, Ithaca on day one, and then work our way back through all the coves, caves and beaches that help explore the story.

Dan with a copy of The Odyssey

Image Credit: History Hit

The wind starts getting up in the afternoon and we are soon getting up to around 9 knots as we cleave our way through the ‘wine dark seas’ – Tom explains about the catabatic effect of the mountains, causing stronger winds later in the afternoon. It’s just right for us as we need to show how exciting sailing can be and also get a small sense of the challenges that Odysseus faced.

Blown by a fair breeze we reach the lovely harbour of Kioni in north west Ithaca in good time – a well earned glass of ‘Odyssey – red ale’ awaits in a local bar, followed by a delicious harbour side meal.  This filming trip seems like a very good idea.

Left: Dan sailing. Right: Odyssey red ale

Image Credit: History Hit

Sunday 19 April

A day filming ashore on Ithaca.  We get a taxi up to the “Palace of Odysseus’ (also known as the School of Homer), a collection of fine buildings from the Late Bronze Age, the era of the Odyssey and Trojan War.

Whether this really was the palace of Odysseus is much debated – in fact the arguments have gone on forever about whether modern day Ithaca was actually Odysseus’s home island of the same name or whether it all happened on Cephalonia or somewhere else entirely – or no such palace ever existed! It’s all part of the delight of exploring the Odyssey, an ancient myth full of fantasy, half truths and a few tantalising facts – sorting the fiction from the reality is a big editorial challenge, but very enjoyable.

In the afternoon we venture into a fabulous cave, which is standing in for the home of the cyclops. Meanwhile Tom and Sitha sail both of the yachts around to Vathy where we meet up with them. Vathy is a larger place than Kioni, a good berth for us to continue our adventure – and full of good places to eat. We are early in the season here, so there are plenty of options and everyone seems very pleased to see some of the first arrivals of the summer.

Dan, ready to take on the cyclops

Image Credit: History Hit

Monday 20 April

A busy day ahead as we film various boating details.  Both yachts head south to a narrow channel between Ithaca and tiny island of Ligia.  Here we spend a long time showing how Odysseus would have moored from rocks on the shore – no smart harbours for our heroes 3,000 years ago!

Dan dives in to take a line ashore, somehow I volunteer to jump in with him and shoot the swimming sequence on a waterproof GoPro camera. It’s a really fun morning as we get out some of the toys too – edging along the rocky edge of Ligia in the blow up canoe, but being careful not to moor up there as there are reports of rats ashore and we don’t want any of them trying to stow away on our yachts.

The afternoon we sail north as we want to recreate Odysseus’s first arrival on Ithaca. We’ve identified a nice quiet cove near Kourvoulia. Dan rows ashore and sets a kedge anchor to hold us firm. Tom is an ace at mooring up nice and snugly so we get a good night’s sleep.

Tonight we cook on board the catamaran using supplies we picked up in Lefkas – my culinary skills don’t extend far beyond pasta with tomato sauce, but the hungry team seem happy enough after a long and very enjoyable day.

Dan rows ashore

Tuesday 21 April

Lots to do today. After an early start at our lovely isolated mooring, filming Homer’s ‘rosie fingered dawn’, we sail to Atokos, a small island that is famous for its beaches and population of wild pigs. Mark’s plan is that this will be the perfect way to illustrate the story of the sorceress Circe turning Odysseus’s crew into swine, but everyone has warned us that the pigs can be aggressive, so we approach with caution, mooring in the bay and rowing ashore. Tom and Sitha stay on board the yachts…

Of course, no pigs are anywhere to be seen. We wander about as the day starts to heat up, Mark and Dan start to plan a slightly disappointing sequence where Dan explains there are usually pigs here, but not today… But then, right on cue, two adults and a crowd of piglets come scampering down the beach and start cooling off in the surf. Dan launches into a perfect piece to camera and we have all the cameras running to capture the scene. Thankfully the pigs don’t gore us to death (I can’t guarantee this will be the case if you visit) and it makes for a great scene. The gods were smiling on us after all.

We sail in good winds to Sivota, at the southern tip of Lefkas. We’ve booked a lovely harbourside restaurant to shoot a delicious sequence where Dan describes how Odysseus’s crew angered the sun god by eating his cattle. It’s the perfect excuse to enjoy a fabulous beef stew as the sun goes down with our two boats moored alongside on the restaurant’s own pontoon.

Wednesday 22 April

A busy final day of sailing lies in store – lots of storylines to fit in before we finish. We sail straight to Meganisi where the huge Papanikolis cave is standing in as the home of Calypso. Tom reckons the weather is perfectly calm so we won’t be bashed by any big waves. It’s an amazing spot that should be on any itinerary if the weather is right. Then the cliffs of Meganisi provide the background for the story of the monster Scylla and the whirlpool Charybdis.  

One final story to fit in – the Sirens who lured sailors to their deaths. Tom puts cotton wool in his ears so he can’t hear their fatal call and lashes Dan to the mast.  

Dan lashed to the mast!

Image Credit: History Hit

A final bit of drone filming and then we sail north to Sunsail’s home base at Lefkas. It has been an amazing few days of sailing – fun, exhilarating and beautiful, often all at the same time. Great company, great sailing, great filming, all in the wake of the greatest voyage ever told!

Melikertis at dusk – the boat that stands in on camera for the ship of Odysseus.

Image Credit: History Hit

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You can see this trip for yourselves on History Hit – our in depth two-part Odyssey series – The Odyssey: Exploring the Greatest Voyage Ever Told is available to subscribers all over the world from 17 July.  The shorter version was broadcast in the UK on Channel 5 on 16 July and is subsequently available on their catch up service – this version is also available on SBS in Australia.

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This July, History Hit’s The Ancients podcast is launching a spectacular three-part special series dedicated entirely to The Odyssey.

Guiding us through these treacherous waters is our host Tristan Hughes, alongside acclaimed classicist and storyteller Emily Hauser. Together, their expert insight brings Odysseus’s epic journey to life – unpacking the myth, its hidden meanings, and its lasting cultural influence.

Whether you are a lifelong classics fan or looking for the ideal companion guide to give you richer context before watching the new cinematic adaptation, this series is essential listening.

Here’s what’s coming up:

Episode 1. Surviving Cyclops, Circe and Calypso (Out Now!)

We go right back to the beginning: to the poet himself, the world that produced this epic, and the opening stages of Odysseus’ long journey home.

We’ll meet the cunning king of Ithaca as both legend and literary creation, explore how Homer shapes him on the page, and follow the early twists of the narrative – from the ruins of Troy to the perilous seas and fateful encounters that set the tone for everything that follows.

Episode 2. Sea of Monsters & Slaughter of the Suitors (18th July)

The voyage continues as Tristan and Emily follow Odysseus through the terrifying Sea of Monsters. Can he navigate the supernatural dangers of the deep and reach home before his wife’s ruthless suitors take over his kingdom?

Episode 3. Hollywood’s Odyssey: The Historians’ Verdict (25th July)

In the final installment, Tristan and Emily review the highly anticipated new blockbuster movie. They’ll reveal what Hollywood got right, what they got wrong, and deliver the ultimate historians’ verdict on whether it does true justice to Homer’s epic masterpiece. 

Part 1 is officially live, so dive in and start listening today, or you can watch the podcast here

Join Natalie as she reveals how this myth gave birth to the ancient world’s most profound and secretive religious tradition: the Eleusinian Mysteries. Tracing the path of ancient initiates from Athens to Eleusis, Natalie examines rare fragments like the ‘Great Eleusinian Relief’ and the ‘Ninnion Tablet’ to uncover the only surviving visual clues to these top-secret rituals. She explores why thousands of pilgrims flocked to Eleusis for centuries, and how this visceral tale of maternal fury and restorative love has inspired two and a half millennia of art. 

A mother’s strike

Greece has always been a land of harsh agricultural reality. In the ancient world, if the land failed, death followed swiftly. When Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, abandoned Mount Olympus in grief over her daughter’s abduction, the world withered.

Natalie explains that Demeter’s fury was a cosmic strike, refusing to let the earth be fertile until Persephone was returned. This forced the hand of Zeus, who intervened not out of compassion, but because the mortals had stopped sending sacrifices – there were simply no crops to offer the gods.

The pomegranate trap

In the myth, Zeus sent Hermes to the Underworld to retrieve Persephone, but Hades, the possessive and cunning King of the Dead, was prepared – freedom would come at a price. He offered Persephone a parting gift: a handful of pomegranate seeds.

In the ancient logic of the Underworld, eating the food of the dead binds you to that realm forever. This was no romantic gesture; in the oldest versions of the Homeric Hymn, Persephone is trapped by a “trap wrapped in sweetness.” 

Persephone was returned to her mother in an ecstatic homecoming. Interestingly, Natalie points out how although the Homeric Hymn was written in patriarchal times, the poet still knew the depth and value of the female bond between mother and daughter. However, their joy was cut short when Demeter realised Persephone had eaten while in the Underworld. 

Zeus, keen to restore the flow of mortal offerings, brokered a dodgy deal: Persephone would spend one-third of the year with Hades and two-thirds of each year above ground with her mother. This “dark compromise” created the seasons: the winter of Demeter’s mourning and the spring of her daughter’s return.

Interestingly, Natalie explains how “this is one of the few times in all of Greek mythology that a god or goddess stands their ground against Zeus, king of the gods, and wins – at least a partial victory”.

Hermes delivers the message to Persephone and Hades

Image Credit: History Hit

The Eleusinian Mysteries

The myth explains how in gratitude to the people of Eleusis who sheltered her during her grief, Demeter gifted them sacred rites. These became the Eleusinian Mysteries, a phenomenon that lasted for over a millennium, promising immense spiritual wealth.

The story of Demeter’s gift grew into a phenomenon of the ancient world, with evidence as far back as the 7th century BC of people gathering in Athens to process to Eleusis. Thousands flocked to Eleusis each year. Anyone – regardless of class, age or gender – could take part, provided they hadn’t committed murder – from common servants to philosophers such as Plato, orators like Cicero, and even Roman Emperors like Hadrian and Augustus. 

The appeal was simple but revolutionary: the Mysteries offered hope. While most Greeks viewed the afterlife as a dreary existence as a powerless “shade,” initiates were promised a better fate.

Tantalising clues: the archaeology of a secret

Because the rites were protected by a vow of silence – punishable by execution – nothing was ever written down. Natalie visits the National Archaeological Museum in Athens to speak with Dr Tulsi Parikh, an expert on the archaeology of Ancient Greek religion, and piece together the rituals from “tiny, tiny fragments” of evidence that have survived – noting how remarkable it is “how much we can still uncover from so little”.

• The Great Eleusinian Relief: A 5th-century marble masterpiece showing Demeter handing sheaves of wheat to Triptolemus, teaching humankind the art of agriculture. He is also pictured with a winged, serpent-entwined chariot,  gifted so he could spread agricultural knowledge across the globe.
• The Ninnion Tablet: The only known visual representation of the rituals. It depicts initiates with lit torches and wreaths walking toward the goddesses, suggesting the ceremony’s climax took place in the dead of night.

Dr Tulsi Parikh and Natalie Haynes standing by The Great Eleusinian Relief

Image Credit: History Hit

Ritual purification and hallucinogens?

Natalie follows the 13-mile ‘Sacred Way’ from the Acropolis to Eleusis for the 9 day celebration. Archaeologist Professor Rebecca Sweetman explains the visceral nature of the purification: initiates would carry animals (usually piglets) into the sea to wash them before a massive sacrifice.

After reaching the sanctuary at Eleusis (surrounded by symbols and performances to remind them of the myth), the climax occurred in the Telesterion, the “holiest of holies.” Inside this auditorium, the deepest secrets were revealed. Rebecca shares a fascinating theory: given the massive grain silos nearby, initiates may have been given kykeon – a grain-based drink that potentially contained ergot (mouldy grain). This would have provided a potent hallucinogenic effect, ensuring the “mind-blowing” spiritual experience that kept pilgrims returning for centuries.

Sanctuary of Demeter at Eleusis

Image Credit: History Hit

A legacy of maternal fury

The power of this myth lies in its rare focus on female emotion in what was a patriarchal Greece. Natalie examines how this “maternal fury” has inspired two and a half millennia of art, from 4th-century BC frescos to the modern musical Hadestown.

In the Broadway hit, Persephone is reimagined as a darker queen, a modern woman yearning for the surface, while Hades remains the manipulative schemer of the ancient sources.

The unbreakable bond

Finally, Natalie views the ‘Demeter of Knidos’, a breathtaking statue capturing the goddess’s patient, serene expression – a reminder that Demeter is a goddess who will wait as long as it takes to get what she wants.

Natalie concludes by reflecting how “The ultimate victory of the myth is that maternal devotion proved to be the single unbreakable force in the Greek cosmos”. The bond between mother and daughter was a source of both destructive fury and creative, restorative love – a power that forced even the King of the Gods to compromise.

Watch the series conclusion of Divine Fury: Demeter and Persephone – The Mystery on History Hit to see Natalie Haynes delves into the dark compromise that resolved the myth of Demeter and Persephone.

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In History Hit’s new documentary, Divine Fury: Demeter and Persephone – How a Mother’s Love Made the Seasons, acclaimed classicist Natalie Haynes explores the enduring legacy of this ancient tale – one of the Greeks’ most powerful and enduring myths. It is a story of love, loss, rage, and transformation that brought the mortal world to the brink of ruin and, ultimately, gave the Greeks an explanation for the very rhythm of the seasons.

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The Abduction

Episode 1: ‘Abduction’ sees the start of the story – and a kidnapping. Hades, the dark Lord of the Underworld, emerged from the earth to snatch the young goddess Persephone while she was gathering flowers. It was an act of divine sanctioned theft; Persephone’s own father, Zeus, had secretly given Hades permission to take her as his bride.

However, Hades made a catastrophic error: he forgot about Persephone’s mother, Demeter. As the goddess of agriculture and the Earth’s fertility, Demeter was one of the most powerful Olympian deities. When her daughter vanished, her grief quickly curdled into a terrifying fury.

Natalie Haynes explains that for the ancient Greeks, this wasn’t just a bedtime story; it mirrored the traumatic reality of marriage customs, where young girls (often only 14 years old) were abruptly removed from their families to live as strangers in a new home. She talks to classicist Dr Daisy Dunn to explore what marriage meant for women in ancient Greece, and how the story of Persephone helped girls prepare for this transition. 

Dr Daisy Dunn shows Natalie Haynes some ancient artefacts depicting Persephone on the eve of her marriage

Image Credit: History Hit

Tracing the “Homeric Hymn”

To unravel the layers of this myth, Natalie turns to a miraculous survival of ancient literature: the Homeric Hymn to Demeter – investigating how this myth mirrored the lives of people in Ancient Greece. Lost for centuries, a manuscript of the poem was famously rediscovered in a Russian farmhouse in 1777. Though written down in the 7th or 6th centuries BC, the hymn preserves an even older oral tradition.

Natalie’s journey takes her from the British Museum to the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, where she examines the dual nature of these goddesses. Demeter is depicted as a figure of maternal tenderness but also of world-ending power. Meanwhile, Persephone evolves from Kore (the innocent girl) to the “Red Queen,” the formidable and dreaded co-ruler of the Underworld.

History Hit crew filming in Athens

The desolation of the earth

As Demeter searched for her daughter, she refused to eat, wash, or return to Mount Olympus. She wandered the earth in the guise of an old woman, eventually finding rest at the Kallichoron well in Eleusis.

Natalie visits the ruins of the sanctuary at Eleusis, where myth and reality coincide. It was here that Demeter was welcomed into the home of King Celeus. However, because she was in mourning, she rejected the finest hospitality, only finding a brief moment of respite when a servant named Iambe coaxed a laugh from her with audacious jokes.

But Demeter’s sorrow could not be contained by mortal kindness. In her rage, she made the “all-nourishing land” barren. For a civilisation where 4 out of 5 people were farmers, this was a story that played into their deepest fears. Crops withered, sheep perished, and the human race faced extinction. Crucially for the gods, the smoke of animal sacrifices stopped rising to Olympus. It was this – the hunger of the gods – that finally forced Zeus to intervene.

History Hit filming on the River Acheron

The descent to the ‘River of Woe’

To understand Persephone’s imprisonment, Natalie travels to the rugged mountains of Epirus and the River Acheron, one of the mythical rivers of the Underworld, known to the ancients as the “River of Woe.” Legend says the ferryman Charon transported souls across these waters to Hades’ realm.

Natalie Haynes and some of the History Hit production crew on the River Acheron

Natalie explores the Necromanteion of Acheron, a site where the living once spoke to the dead. Accompanied by expert Dr Tobias Myers, she descends into underground chambers where ancient pilgrims may have used hallucinogens and blood sacrifices to communicate with the spirits below.

“For the Greeks,” Natalie notes, “myth was simply history that happened long ago.” The geography of the underworld wasn’t abstract; it was mapped onto real-world spots like these dark, vaulted ruins.

Production shot of Dr. Tobias Myers talking to Natalie Haynes about the Necromanteion of Acheron

Image Credit: History Hit

The great mystery remains

Persephone remained languishing in the dark, but the earth could not survive without Demeter’s favour. Is Persephone doomed to spend eternity in the shadows, or can a mother’s love force the gates of hell to open?

The dramatic conclusion of the myth – and the birth of the Eleusinian Mysteries, the most secret and sacred religious rites of the ancient world – awaits in the next chapter of our journey.

Episode 1: ‘Abduction’ is available now. Episode 2: ‘The Mystery’ will be released on 15 January 2026.

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Founded by Greek colonists 2,500 years ago, Paestum is a living testament to a vibrant, untold chapter of the ancient Mediterranean. Originally named Poseidonia, after the Greek god of the sea, the city was one of over 50 Greek settlements established along the Italian coastline – a region that became known as Magna Grecia (‘Greater Greece’). The settlers brought their rich culture, thriving on the fertile agricultural soils and lucrative trade routes, leaving an indelible mark in southern Italy well before the rise of Rome.

In History Hit’s new documentary, Paestum: A Tale of Three Cities, Tristan explores the magnificent ruins, revealing how three incredible civilisations – the Greeks, the native Italian Lucanians, and the mighty Romans – collided in this single, extraordinary location. 

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Here, we focus on the city’s foundational Greek age, deciphering the art and architecture the Greeks left behind.

The colossal temples: a pinnacle of Greek grandeur

Paestum boasts three of the best-preserved, colossal ancient Greek temples in the world, monuments that rival anything found in Greece itself. Tristan focuses on the Temple of Neptune, which he rates as one of the best-preserved ancient Greek temples in the world. Standing over 10 metres tall and built decades before the famous Parthenon, it is the pinnacle of the Greek Doric style, instantly commanding awe with its long, fluted columns.

Inside the Temple of Neptune, Paestum, Southern Italy.

This documentary takes you inside the temple’s sacred heart and challenges assumptions about its dedication. While early archaeologists assumed the most monumental temple belonged to Poseidon, Director Dr Tiziana D’Angelo explains that evidence now points towards the goddess Hera or perhaps Apollo.

The temples also reveal a surprising truth of ancient ritual: most of the sacred ceremonies took place outside by the altar, rather than within the god’s house.

Paestum, Southern Italy

Image Credit: History Hit

The treasure of the Tomb of the Diver

The artistic legacy of Greek Paestum is revealed in one of its greatest treasures: the Tomb of the Diver. Discovered in 1968, this is one of the only surviving examples of a complete Greek wall painting from the early 5th century BC anywhere in the world.

In the documentary, Tristan and Tiziana discuss the symbolic meaning of this breathtaking fresco, which contains a central figure, diving into water – is it a metaphor for the passage from life to the afterlife, or a realistic scene of daily life? The other frescoes depict scenes of classical Greek life, including symposiums (Greek drinking parties) – scenes instantly recognisable to Greeks across the Mediterranean. This astonishing find proves that the Greek cultural zenith was not confined to Athens, but flourished with equal brilliance here in Southern Italy.

The Tomb of the Diver, Paestum, Southern Italy

Image Credit: History Hit

The collision of cultures

The documentary continues its journey by exploring the subsequent periods that defined the city, showcasing dramatic shifts in power and culture:

• The Lucanians – warriors and cultural fusion: Two centuries after its foundation, native Italian tribes, the Lucanians, took over the city. While some bitter Greek sources labeled them “barbarians,” you’ll see the reality was far more complex: far from destroying Greek culture, the Lucanians deeply admired it. They transformed the city’s art to feature vivid scenes of warriors and military prowess, creating a profound cultural fusion that incorporated Greek styles.
• The Roman conquest: Control shifted again in 275 BC. The Lucanians – having unwisely allied with the Greek warlord Pyrrhus against Rome – lost their protector and the city was conquered. The Romans were swift to establish authority, building the Forum as a new political and urban centre. Yet, while replacing many Greek structures, the Romans allowed the magnificent temples to stand, underscoring their enduring respect for Paestum’s Greek origins and ensuring the city’s foundational culture survived.

Tristan and Dr Tiziana D’Angelo stand beside a Lucanian artwork depicting chariot racing.

Image Credit: History Hit

As Tristan points out, Paestum fundamentally challenges the perception that ancient Italy was exclusively Roman, demonstrating instead that Rome existed alongside a vast array of extraordinary civilizations. As the site epitomises the dramatic collision of Greek, Lucanian, and Roman cultures, it reveals the rich, often overshadowed, histories of people who left behind some of the most beautiful wonders of the ancient world.

Join Tristan Hughes as he explores these layers of history, uncovering how three civilisations converged at this single, extraordinary site. Watch Paestum: A Tale of Three Cities to discover the art, politics, and power of the Mediterranean’s hidden gem.

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After years of civil war and instability, History Hit has gained unique access as the first documentary team in 15 years to film in the rarely seen extraordinary ancient sites within Cyrenaica, centred around one of the greatest cities of the ancient world, Cyrene – a vibrant and important part of the Greek and Roman world. 

This is a fascinating journey into a spectacular region where documentaries rarely go. From the majestic monumental Greek cities to active archaeology being revealed right before our eyes on the coast, this film celebrates the beauty, significance, and untold history of one of the ancient Mediterranean’s most powerful regions. Prepare for a film like no other, promising unprecedented access and a view of ancient history you’ve never seen.

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The coastal city emerging from the waves

Most modern understanding of Libya is framed by the era of Colonel Gaddafi and the subsequent civil war. However, Dan’s journey travels back 2,000 years and beyond to Cyrenaica, a fertile strip of land in northeastern Libya that was once the breadbasket and powerhouse of the ancient Mediterranean. As Dan explains, “Very few news crews, let alone history documentary-makers get to come here.” 

Dan’s journey begins at the bay of Al Haniyah on the Mediterranean coast, where a fascinating archaeology project is rediscovering a long-lost coastal city, revealing its secrets thanks to natural coastal erosion. Working with teams from the University of Ulster and the University of Benghazi, Dan witnesses fascinating, active archaeology in progress that is disclosing the people who lived here two millennia ago. 

Dan Snow sees how objects embedded in the cliffs are being exposed due to coastal erosion.

Image Credit: History Hit

“Ancient objects are literally falling out of the cliffs,” Dan notes, as the intense winter storms of North Africa claw away at the cliff face, exposing layers of history spanning over 1,000 years. The erosion is a race against time, but offers a unique, exposed cross-section of an ancient port. Dan and the lead archaeologist, Dr. Julia Nikolaus, even discover human bones that have fallen out of a burial, a visceral reminder that the waves of the Mediterranean are exposing all aspects of daily life and death at Al Haniyah.

Along with hundreds of pottery shards, monumental buildings – including the remains of a temple and a Roman villa – are emerging, along with remaining patches of mosaic floors. This seemingly obscure town, which left little impression in the history books, is transforming our understanding of trade, proving it was a crucial hub for exporting goods like wine and Cyrenaican oil – once described as the oil of the ancient world.

Dan Snow with lead archaeologist Dr Julia Nikolaus – they are pointing at a blocked-up doorway or window emerging from the cliffs

Image Credit: History Hit

Dan even joins a team conducting an underwater survey that is uncovering columns and signs of an ancient harbour beneath the waves, proving that a “new chapter in the story of Cyrenaica is being recorded right here.”

We can imagine merchant ships anchored offshore; crews calling out as heavy amphorae were loaded; traders bargaining in the shade of warehouses; families strolling along the harbour-front. For centuries, this place supported busy routines of work, travel, and exchange.

The wonder of Cyrene: A claim to power

Heading inland, Dan travels up into the fertile mountains, site of the magnificent city of Cyrene, which was a wonder of the ancient Graeco-Roman world and a profound statement of Greek identity. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Dan’s excitement of exploring here is palpable. “I’ve dreamed of coming here all my life” says Dan. “We’ve been told that we’re (History Hit) are the first television crew to come and film here since the fall of Gaddafi. And as a result we have the whole place to ourselves – it feels almost like  we’re discovering it for the first time”. 

The Gymnasium at Cyrene, Libya, with the small theatre visible in the background.

Image Credit: History Hit

Cyrene’s grand architecture – including the colossal Greek gymnasium, a centre of learning and physical fitness lined with Doric columns – was designed to proclaim that visitors were entering the Greek world. Its origins, revealed in ancient writings by Herodotus, were humble: struggling Greek colonists were shown the fertile land by indigenous Libyans. Dan also explores a splendid house complete with an outdoor Hall of the Muses, where rich guests would enjoy music and poetry beneath a warm North African sky.  

The city’s immense wealth stemmed from one unique cash crop: Silphium. This legendary plant, which no longer exists, was literally worth its weight in gold due to its supposed healing properties. Dan visits the marketplace where this invaluable commodity was traded, a trade so vital it was thought to be protected by the goddess of agriculture, Demeter. Silphium was transported from Cyrene down to the coast, and then exported to the wealthy centres of the ancient Mediterranean, from Alexandria to Athens and Rome. 

Cyrene also exported knowledge. It was the home of the philosopher Aristippus, who founded the hedonistic school of thought focused on pleasure, and his daughter Arete, believed to be the first female philosopher in history.

The Sanctuary of Apollo in Cyrene, Libya

Image Credit: History Hit

In a unique fusion of storytelling and innovation, History Hit’s film collaborates with Ubisoft to recreate lost parts of the ancient city of Cyrene using stunning imagery from Assassin’s Creed Origins. This allows us to picture what it would have been like to walk these very streets and visit Cyrene’s magnificent theatre, temples and sacred places (including the Temple of Apollo and the spring of Apollo) over 2,000 years ago.

From Greek gymnasium to Roman arena

Dan charts Cyrene’s evolving identity after the Romans took over in 96 BC due to dynastic squabbles in Ptolemaic Egypt, when they transformed the city to better express their Roman-ness. The massive Greek theatre was converted into a Roman amphitheatre, trading the stage for the arena and gladiatorial shows. People from here continued to feature in accounts of the Roman world, men like Simon of Cyrene who the New Testament says helped to carry Jesus’ cross to his crucifixion. 

Dan concludes his journey at the harbour city of Apollonia, which ultimately would overshadow Cyrene. Here, the final transition of the ancient world is visible: the ruins of a Christian basilica, built largely from the recycled plinths and inscriptions of dismantled Roman temples. This basilica reflects the shift to the Byzantine era, proving that the legacy of those ancient civilizations can be explored just as profoundly in Northern Africa as in Athens or Rome.

Components of the ancient temple in Apollonia were rearranged by the Byzantines to create a space for Christian worship.

Image Credit: History Hit

A mainstay of the ancient world

As Dan concludes, the sites in Libya are on the same monumental scale as the Parthenon in Athens. They make a powerful claim: the Cyrenians were not some peripheral colonial outpost; they were one of the mainstays of the ancient world. As Dan reflects,

It’s easy to forget that the Mediterranean Sea was the centre of the Ancient world. You don’t need to go to Athens or Rome… you can explore them all in Northern Africa. It has been an eye-opening experience.”

History Hit’s Head of Programming, Bill Locke, reflects on the team’s experience in Libya:

“Filming in Libya was an extraordinary experience – seeing ancient Greek pottery emerging from the cliffs in a previously untouched site by the Mediterranean, and walking through the wonders of Cyrene, the first documentary crew to film there since the fall of Gaddafi.”

We’ll be speaking to Bill in more depth soon where we’ll delve deeper to learn more about the team’s fascinating and exclusive experiences filming in a spectacular region where documentaries rarely go.

Join Dan Snow for an unprecedented look at the treasures of North Africa in Ancient Adventures: Libya.

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From the chiselled physiques of gods to the stoic forms of athletes, Ancient Greek sculpture epitomises the male body ideal. Yet, one detail often draws attention, often provoking a raised eyebrow: the diminutive size of their sculpted genitalia. Is this an artistic oversight? A curious quirk? Or does it reveal a deeper truth about the essence of masculinity in Ancient Greece?

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Throughout Ancient Greece’s vast timeline, from its mysterious Dark Ages through its Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods, each era boasted distinct cultural norms, artistic styles, and varying representations of the human form.

Kate delves into original sources to understand what the Ancient Greeks truly valued when it came to male anatomy. Did size matter in Ancient Greece? She explores the impact of Dionysiac rituals and the works of Greek playwright Aristophanes, uncovering a prevailing view that may challenge modern perceptions. 

The documentary also addresses the question of missing members on many ancient statues. Kate goes behind the scenes at the British Museum to explore the ‘Museum Secretum’, a hidden part of the museum full of erotic antiquities, to explore the historical reasoning behind the frequent absence of genitalia on many ancient sculptures. 

With her trusty tape measure in hand, Kate also heads to the Cambridge Museum of Classical Archaeology. There, she meets its Director, Classicist Professor Caroline Vout, to examine a renowned sculpture: Doryphoros – ‘The Spear Carrier’. Created by Polykleitos, an artist famous for his treatise on perfect human proportion, Doryphoros’s body, while beautifully rendered, still deviates from real-world male anatomy – particularly in the genital area.

Kate Lister talks to Director of the Cambridge Museum of Classical Archaeology, Classicist Professor Caroline Vout.

Image Credit: History Hit

So, why this artistic choice? In the documentary, Kate explores several compelling theories, each shedding light on different facets of Ancient Greek society and philosophy.

Was it about self-control, restraint, and intellectualism, a reflection of the Greek ideal of the civilised man who masterfully controlled his natural urges? Did it tie into their emphasis on rational thought and freedom to pursue wisdom, as suggested by figures like Plato? Or was it simply about aesthetics, creating a “neat, tidy” appearance that avoided distraction? Kate also delves into more provocative ideas around youth as well as ancient theories about the male body and reproduction.

Kate Lister conducting her research (both at the Cambridge Museum of Classical Archaeology and the British Museum)

Image Credit: History Hit

Dicking About is not just about what’s on display; it’s about what these sculptures and artistic choices reveal about a civilisation that profoundly shaped Western thought. By examining these surprising details, we uncover profound insights into Ancient Greek ideals of masculinity, beauty, self-control, and their stark contrast with the “barbarians” they defined themselves against.

Join Kate Lister as she uncovers the fascinating, and often surprising, reasons behind one of the most curious features of classical art.

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Ancient Greek philosophers used paradoxes for all sorts of reasons, from sharpening their dialectical skills and showing philosophical opponents were talking nonsense to serious philosophical inquiry – but also for fun.

Some paradoxes were lethal. Philetas of Cos’s epitaph tells us he died tormented by the “liar paradox”. And according to one biographer, Diodorus Cronus killed himself in 284 BC after failing to solve a paradox put to him by fellow philosopher Stilpo of Megara.

These stories are fanciful, but they point to something maddeningly true about paradoxes: there cannot be a single, obvious solution. Sometimes there is no good solution. Sometimes there are too many good solutions. Paradoxes point to conceptual glitches or bugs. How to fix these bugs, or whether they can be fixed, is rarely obvious.

The three paradoxes that follow are some of the best-known examples from Ancient Greece.

1. The liar paradox

“This sentence is false.” Philosophers call that the “liar sentence”. Is it true? If you say “yes, the liar sentence is true”, then things are as it says – yet the liar sentence says it is false.

On the other hand, suppose you say “no, the liar sentence is false”. This means things are not as the liar sentence says. But this is exactly what it says, so in this sense the liar sentence is true.

In short, there are good reasons to say both that the sentence is true and that it is false. Yet no sentence can be both true and false.

This paradox was invented by the philosopher Eubulides of Miletus, who was famous for his paradoxes, in the 4th century BC. His own formulation has been lost, and what I give here is my reconstruction.

The liar paradox alienates us from everyday notions like truth, falsehood and self-referential language. But it also calls into question the idea, presupposed by question-and-answer dialectic (dialogue between people holding different points of view about a subject), that every question can be answered “yes” or “no”. It seems there are good reasons to answer both “yes” and “no” to some questions.

Some philosophers have concluded this means that both “yes” and “no” are good answers to the question “is the liar sentence true?”. They call this a “glut” of good answers. To apply the liar paradox to your life, when you ask or are asked questions, ask yourself: is there more than one right answer?

2. The horns paradox

Have you lost your horns? If you answer “yes”, you must have had horns that you have now lost. If you say “no”, then you have horns that you have not lost. Either way you answer, you suggest you had horns – but that is clearly false.

Questions are a key part of philosophy. But they’re also key to how we get information from other people. The liar paradox highlights that some questions have a more than one good answer. The horns paradox highlights another problem – questions have presuppositions.

If I ask “have you stopped eating meat?”, then I presuppose you no longer eat meat, but that you used to. These questions look like they should have a “yes” or “no” answer, but in fact there is a gap because we could deny the presupposition.

When you ask questions, or are asked questions, first ask yourself: what is being presupposed?

A billy goat with long horns, wood engraving.

Image Credit: Wellcome Collection / Public Domain

3. The sorites paradox

Here are 10,000 grains of sand. Do I have a heap? Yes, of course. I remove a grain, so now I have 9,999 grains. Do I have a heap? Yes. I remove another grain so I have 9,998. Do I have a heap? Yes.

Losing a single grain does not affect whether I have a heap. But reiterating this 9,997 more times, I have one grain. That should be a heap, but of course it is not. You could argue both that one grain is a heap, and that it is not. But nothing can be both a heap and not a heap.

Another of Eubulides’ greatest hits, the sorites (the “heaper”), uses a heap as an example. But it also heaps question upon question.

This paradox challenges us because some concepts have fuzzy edges. When we plug these fuzzy concepts into a question-and-answer dialectic, there are clear yes-or-no answers at the start and end of the sequence. Ten thousand grains is clearly a heap and one grain clearly is not. But there are no clear yes or no answers for some region in the middle.

The liar paradox suggests there might be gluts of good answers to yes or no questions; the horns that there might be gaps, where neither “yes” nor “no” is the correct answer. But the sorites shows that there may be gaps that come and go, with fuzzy-edged concepts. But how many of our concepts have fuzzy edges? And do fuzzy concepts track a fuzzy world?

Paradoxes highlight glitches in commonplace, everyday activities: asserting truths, asking questions, and describing objects. Thinking carefully about this is fun, certainly. But paradoxes should also make us sensitive to whether every apparently good question has exactly one good answer: some questions have more, some have none.

Matthew Duncombe is Associate Professor in Philosophy at the University of Nottingham.

In our documentary, Medusa with Natalie Haynes, we ventured to the beautiful Greek island of Corfu with classicist Natalie Haynes to discover the roots of the extraordinary myth of Medusa and investigate sites closely connected – including Corfu’s spectacular Gorgon pediment, a gigantic early image of Medusa that once protected a magnificent Archaic era temple to Artemis.

The Gorgons have captured the imagination of storytellers, artists, and scholars for centuries. To understand their origin and significance, one must delve into the depths of Greek mythology and the ancient poem Theogony by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod.

Hesiod’s Theogony and the birth of the Gorgons

Gorgons were a popular image in Greek mythology, appearing in the earliest of written records of ancient Greek religious beliefs, including the two hugely influential epic poems of ancient Greece – Homer’s The Illiad and The Odyssey. Here they were depicted as a terrifying head on the shield of Greek warrior, Agamemnon, or a monster of the underworld.

However, it was Hesiod’s Theogony that serves as a foundational text in Greek mythology, providing insights into the genealogy and origins of divine beings, and it was here that the origins of the Gorgons and their significance was explained.

According to Hesiod, the Gorgons were born from the union of the sea deities Phorcys and Ceto. Phorcys, a primordial sea god, and Ceto, a sea monster, were parents to a myriad of monstrous offspring, including the three Gorgon sisters: Stheno (the mighty), Euryale (the far-springer, or of the wide sea), and Medusa (the queen).

The Gorgon sisters were said to occupy a liminal space; their parents are sea creatures, they have wings, but dwelt on land – said to be on the farthest side of the western ocean, which some believe refers to Libya.

Medusa, the mortal Gorgon

Among the Gorgons, Medusa occupies a central role in Greek mythology. 

After two gods had vied to be the protector of Athens – with the sea god Poseidon offering the sea, and Athena, goddess of wisdom, warfare, and handicraft, offering olive trees – Athens picked Athena.

Originally a priestess in the temple of Athena, Medusa’s life took a tragic turn when she caught the eye of Poseidon, who raped her within the sacred walls of Athena’s temple, leading to the goddess’s wrath. As a punishment for violating her sacred space, Athena punished Medusa, turning Medusa’s hair into snakes and giving her a gaze that could turn mortals to stone.

The iconography of Medusa is striking – a creature with a monstrous countenance, wings, and a head adorned with live serpents. This transformation not only punished Medusa but also served as a potent symbol of divine retribution in Greek mythology.

‘Perseus with the Head of Medusa’ by Antonio Canova(1757 – 1822) – in the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Ad Meskens; sculpture Antonio Canova / CC BY-SA 3.0

Perseus and the quest for Medusa’s head

The narrative takes a turn with the introduction of Perseus. In a classic hero’s quest, Perseus, son of Zeus, is tasked with the perilous mission of beheading Medusa – the only mortal Gorgon. Equipped with gifts from the gods – a reflective shield from Athena, winged sandals from Hermes, and a sword from Hephaestus – Perseus embarks on this daunting mission.

Guided by divine assistance, Perseus successfully decapitates Medusa without directly facing her gaze. The severed head, however, retained its petrifying power, serving as a potent weapon in subsequent mythological tales.

Symbolism and interpretations

The Gorgons, particularly Medusa, hold rich symbolic meanings in Greek mythology. One interpretation sees Medusa as a representation of divine wrath and the consequences of violating sacred spaces. The transformation from a beautiful priestess to a monstrous Gorgon with snakes in her hair becomes a cautionary tale of the wrath of the gods.

Moreover, Medusa’s gaze turning individuals to stone can be seen as a metaphor for the inevitability of death. The petrification serves as a powerful reminder of mortality, emphasising the boundary between the mortal and divine realms.

Artistic representations

The myth of Medusa and the Gorgons has inspired countless artistic interpretations throughout history. From ancient Greek pottery to Renaissance paintings, artists have sought to capture the allure and terror associated with these mythical beings. Notable works include Caravaggio’s Medusa, where the artist depicts the severed head with haunting realism, capturing the moment of transformation frozen in time.

On the Greek island of Corfu, a large statue of Medusa dating from 580 BC was found in the remains of the Temple of Artemis (an Archaic era and the oldest-known Greek stone temple). The statue would have been part of the pediment of the temple, and is on display at the Archaeological Museum of Corfu. It depicts this Gorgon as having wings, and as a strong woman with a wide mouth and protruding tongue (often depicting a cacophonous loud noise). It also shows Medusa’s two children: Pegasus and a golden giant.

An archaic Gorgon (around 580 BC), as depicted on a pediment from the temple of Artemis in Corfu, on display at the Archaeological Museum of Corfu

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Archaeological Museum of Corfu / CC BY-SA 4.0

The statue’s role would have been to look down at new arrivals, protecting and impressing at the temple’s entrance. Medusa was thought to scare or protect depending on who you are. To help her achieve this, fantastical wild beasts including a ‘leo-panther’ (lion/panther) are depicted by her.

Because of their legendary and powerful gaze that could turn one to stone, in ancient Greece, images of the Gorgons (or an individual Gorgoneion – a stone head, engraving, or drawing of a Gorgon face, often with snakes protruding wildly and the tongue sticking out between her fangs) were frequently used as a talisman, and placed on doors, walls, floors, coins, shields, breastplates, tombstones, and on the ends of pipes or roofs, in the hopes of warding off evil.

In later centuries, Gorgon imagery developed from depicting a monstrous woman with a wide mouth and tongue out, to a more beautiful and sedate-looking woman, but with a couple of snakes in the hair.

Gorgons in popular culture

The legacy of the Gorgons extends beyond ancient mythology into modern popular culture. The image of Medusa, with her serpent hair and petrifying gaze, has become a recognisable symbol in literature, art, and cinema. Whether in classical literature or contemporary fantasy novels, the Gorgons continue to captivate audiences with their otherworldly and fearsome nature, and remain a timeless exploration of human fascination with the divine, the monstrous, and the transformative power of myth.